Santa is but for a season, but God is forever!

This year, my wife and I decided to use a behavior modification tool with Sophie Grace, so we bought an Elf on a shelf. Basically, it's a toy elf that comes with a story explaining his purpose for the visit - to keep an eye on the children and report back to Santa on whether they've been naughty or nice. Anyway, it really works. Everynight after Sophie goes to bed, we move him to another location and when Sophie wakes up, she thinks that he magically flew to the northpole overnight and when he returned he sat in a different location. It's been fun watching her take it all in.

Well, I decided to post it on facebook and I was asked by someone if I was ok with telling Sophie that an elf was watching over her rather than God. You know, I get people's convictions, but as I once told a friend of my, "Your convictions are your own, and not mine." I told this person, that yes I was fine with it, especially if I have told her about Santa. I also mentioned that Sophie also hears the truth about God. She will always know about God and what Jesus Christ did for us on that cross because he loved us so much that he died for us.

This is a special time for Robin and I to enjoy. Sophie is now 3 and for the first time in her short life, she has been excited about Christmas and all that comes with it. Her childlike innoncence and imagination only add to our joy. To see her face light up is priceless. She loves Christmas. She loves decorating. She loves making christmas cookies with mommy. She is happy and full of joy. Why would I want to take that away from her. Why would I not allow her to have this fun, even if it is just for a season. Because before you know it, she will be grown up and this time will be gone.

Yes people. her joy should and does come from the LORD! We get that and so does she. Sophie and I pray together every morning and night. And every chance I get, I tell her about how her mommy and I prayed to Jesus for her and that He loves her so much and he sent her to us and told us to take care of her for him. All that to say, that Santa is for a season, but God is forever.

Ready, Set.....Focus!

Ok, I am 42 and in 3 months I will be turning 43. Now according to my calculations, 43 isn't considered old. Right? Well, I guess it depends on who you ask. Most recently, I have noticed that I tend to lose my focus when I encounter the slightest distraction. I'll have my mind set on a particular task and then without warning I am distracted by the slightest of things and before you know it, I have already forgotten what it was that I was on my way to doing. It sort of reminds me of the movie, "Up", when the talking dog is saying something, then all of a sudden he sees a squirrel. I had to go see my doctor because I was coming down with a sinus infection and while in his office I asked him about my problem with focusing. Well, he attributed my problems with getting older and or having too much on my mind at one time. I'm sorry, but I just don't accept that. Maybe I need a second opinion. In speaking with a classmate of mine, she was diagnosed with adult A.D.D. and her symptoms were the same as mine. So, I'm thinking I need to get the name of her physician and check him out for myself.

Yesterday, while at work, several times throughout the day I lost focus on what I set my mind to do. Finally, I decided to right things down to remind myself and it helped. I'm not so much concerned but I do know that I might need some help with this. When I told my wife about what I was experiencing, she immediately realized that she too has noticed my problem with being focused, especially when I procrastinate and end up doing things last minute.

I guess, it's true what they say, "A mind is a terrible thing to waste!"

Racial Profiling?

I don’t know why this is bothering me, but it is. The more I think about it, the more irate I become. In regards to Arizona’s immigration law, that allows law enforcement to question a person based on the color of their skin if they are a citizen or not, is in my opinion racial profiling. Yes, I know that the police have to have “reasonable suspicion” in order to question, but this is a flawed system. This reminds me of the time during the great depression when Mexicans , living in California, were rounded up and shipped back to Mexico. The law was intended to ship back immigrants and instead they also shipped back Mexican Americans as well just because they looked like the immigrants. It was a flawed system then and it’s a flawed system now. Those that are questioned have the burden of proof on their shoulders and will be detained until they can proof whether or not they are US citizens. My Mother was a victim of such profiling. While she was at work, there was an INS raid and both she and her coworkers were rounded up and detained until she could prove that she was a US citizen. My sister had to go up to her job site with proof before they would release her. That really pissed me off. We laughed it off and still do today, but then again what could we have done or said to have made a difference. This was “Big Brother” doing their job and it was their right to do so legally. This is a failed attempt by a state to “do something” about immigration because the nation as a whole has not, and even though the law is meant to help that state with their illegal immigration problem, it targets a group of people as a whole and it will lead to increased racism against Mexicans as a whole. I do believe that we have an illegal immigration problem, but trying to fix it with profiling is not the answer. What is the answer? I don’t know, nor do I claim to know, but one thing I do know is that this law is far from perfect and it will create bigger problems in the long run. I end with a quote by the NBA:

“The recent passage of the new immigration law in Arizona is disappointing and disturbing. The National Basketball Players Association strongly supports the repeal or immediate modification of this legislation. Any attempt to encourage, tolerate or legalize racial profiling is offensive and incompatible with basic notions of fairness and equal protection. A law that unfairly targets one group is ultimately a threat to all.”

Ben Ortiz Jessie 1936-1987

WHY??????????